2024-04-30 20:18:31
The SVP initiative “No Switzerland for 10 million!” yielded. It plans to renegotiate or denounce international agreements if the population exceeds 10 million inhabitants in 2050. The conventions targeted are those which ensure in particular the right to asylum, the rights of children and the free movement of people with the European Union (EU).
The UDC, the employers and the donors whose interests it serves seek to keep the social question away from the political debate. The initiative in question denies the responsibility of the latter in the deterioration of the living conditions of part of the population. This initiative is a firewall.
The UDC is the spearhead of real estate circles once morest tenancy law. She also fights climate policy: she calls for refusing the law on electricity supply on June 9. In a reverse mirror, it presents its initiative as the solution to protect the environment and tenants.
The UDC wants to erase the antagonisms of social classes which it seeks to replace with the Epinal image of a homogeneous community, whose living space would be threatened by foreign hordes which are unintegratible by nature (disrespectful, violent, etc. ), by culture (Wokism) or by religion (Islam). Here, she cites environmental and quality of life reasons. According to this initiative, abusive rents and low salaries are not the consequence of the choices of landlords and shareholders, they are caused by migrants. The UDC replays its logic of abuse or of the “boat already full” (foreign infiltration).
These initiatives are winning for the fringe of employers represented by the UDC. They create undocumented immigrants and precarious workers – an exploitable workforce and putting pressure on other employees. The more or less assumed support of other right-wing parties and certain major media legitimizes this discourse: the UDC is strengthening and dictating its policy of social destruction.
The debate on negotiations with the EU offers a perspective for breaking out of the rut.
The current balance of power in Parliament does not allow the status quo to be maintained for the rights of tenants and employees. Gaining new rights and meeting the needs of the population requires political levers to obtain a sufficient balance of power. Part of the employers and economic circles would suffer from the acceptance of the SVP initiative – recently, the NZZ published an article indicating that Switzerland (respectively the employers) needs 10 million inhabitants. es to alleviate the labor shortage. And access to the EU single market is an equally vital need for export businesses.
Creating a balance of power with the UDC initiative is not possible. It tramples on the principles of solidarity and humanity – such as the right of a child to live with his parents. Nothing of the sort, however, concerns the negotiations with the EU. If their results corresponded to the objectives of the Federal Council, fighting these agreements would even be a necessity. Because the negotiating mandate does not provide for any improvement in the protection of wages and working conditions. It aims to liberalize the electricity market.
Liberalization must be fought for its own sake. The free movement of people is, on the other hand, a right to be defended, as long as it is accompanied by social rights. The Federal Council and the parliamentary majority seek to decouple negotiations from accompanying measures.
However, once the agreements are accepted, the unions and Asloca will only have to pray to force the majority to keep their promises. It will happen as it did with AVS 21. The majority promised to improve the situation of employees, but they voted for LPP 21 which will force low-income workers to contribute much more to receive less, or barely more.
Tenants and employees must unite to impose their demands without delay. For employees, it is regarding fighting precarious work. This moment is an opportunity to finally implement the recommendations of the International Labor Organization to guarantee freedom of association. The ILO calls on Switzerland to provide for the reinstatement of union delegates who have been unfairly dismissed. For tenants, we must ensure that new housing meets the needs of the majority of residents, prohibit speculation in the existing real estate stock, strengthen lease law and prevent cheap rents from becoming abusive and abusive rents. remain so.
Christian Dandrès is national advisor and lawyer at Asloca. He speaks in this column in a personal capacity.
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